A note on the words: hinabe is Chinese hot pot, a simmering spiced broth, and it is on here at lunchtime too. Mapo tofu is a classic Sichuan dish of tofu in a spicy sauce, and it comes here as a small side bowl to pour over the daily-special bacon fried rice.
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Chotenmon on Tabelog (English) — opening hours, payment details and the Japanese address are kept up to date there, not here.
Hello, this is Hangover Meshi. Realizing that ever since a hot pot shop opened in front of Akasaka Station I had been skipping right past it, I decided to go in!
“Kenko Biyo Hinabe Senmonten Chotenmon” (Health and Beauty Hot Pot Specialist Chotenmon). Dropping in a little after midday, there were only about two parties of customers. It was quite uncrowded, which was nice. For some reason the chairs at the tables were strangely comfortable to sit in, which was definitely a plus, ha.
Somehow, the digital signboard looks pretty beat-up, ha. I suppose quite a bit of time has passed since they first opened.
Daily-special bacon fried rice — 850 yen
Hinabe (Chinese hot pot) — 1,280 yen
Since this is a hot pot specialist, you can actually eat hinabe hot pot right at lunch!
I thought, ‘Wait, they had that option?!’ but ah, I was caught off guard. To be sure, that possibility was there all along.
I had a meeting with someone afterwards, and since I was wearing pale-colored clothes, I gave up on it, ha. I went with the daily-special fried rice instead.
Inside, there was an array of salads, condiments, and other items laid out, seemingly all-you-can-take buffet-style.
I was not especially hungry, so I skipped those for the moment, grabbed only some tea, and took a seat.
Before long, the fried rice arrived!
Oh, I had not noticed that a small mapo tofu came with it, but this might be a pleasant surprise.
Well, the fried rice is an entirely ordinary fried rice, ha.
Cucumber being in it is perhaps a little unusual? Pouring the small mapo tofu over it as you eat makes it tasty.
Well, at 850 yen with what looks like a self-serve buffet included, considering that, the value is quite good.
When you want a quick bite, this might be quite a decent option.
So, while having the thought that I really should have eaten hot pot as intended!, I think next time I will dress in something more suitable for hot pot and come back. When summer arrives and gets hot, sweating it out with hot pot for lunch! might not be a bad idea either.
Chotenmon (Chinese hot pot / Akasaka Station, Tameike-sanno Station, Akasaka-mitsuke Station)
Tabelog lunch rating ★★★☆☆ 3.2
I ate here and paid for it myself. Nothing on this site is a comped meal.
One more for the road?
